Is this too heavy? (Warning, photo of blood)

[doodiedee]

Hi, I’m at a bit of a loss. I’ve been asking my GP for help in regards to my period for months, all over the phone. They offered me pain killers but nothing to help with the bleeding. They’re really heavy but are over within 3/4 days and the GP said a heavy period is considered to last more than 7 days. I’m on my period now and yesterday at work I bled through a Super Tampax, a pad and ruined my underwear within an hour. I felt myself flood. There was also a large clot. The clot in the photo is underneath the tampon too, it’s huge. I had my phone with me so I took a photo - more so in case I’m not believed by the GP again - but this is a regular occurrence and it’s awful.
Any advice? Am I over reacting or is this too heavy? Sorry for the photo but we’re all ladies, right?

I had fibroids - tranaxemid acid tablets helped. - easily done with GP - also I had vitamin D injections . All though NHS GP .

I had heavy periods but nothing like that. Biggest clots were the size of my little finger. I'd fill a pad like that in a couple of hours, but not the tampon too.

Poor you. Agree go back to GP but in the meantime, I'm coping with newly heavy periods with a combination of a moon cup and period pants, plus a sanitary towel (I think the period pants would be fine, but as I splashed down my DS's bedroom wall an hour after changing my tampon, I'm taking no chances!

Forgot to add period pants have been amazing for sudden flooding and massive clots. I wear them with postpartum maternity pads and they contain 99% of leaks. So much cheaper than the disposable adult nappies that i was using before.

I was about to post and say “yeah that’s normal for me”. But I stand corrected in that it’s not ‘normal normal’!

When I say it’s normal for me I usually have about 12 hours where it’s like that but my periods are over and done quickly. So it always feels like it’s probably an average amount but it comes in a whoosh! If it were like that over days I would be more concerned.

I was admitted to hospital early September with excessive bleeding like this, eventually I flooded 8 pads in 10 hours & the pain was unbelievable finally I've been diagnosed with Endometriosis by the hospital gyno.
3 years of back and forth my GP who basically fobbed me off.
Don't ignore it and don't give up.

Heavy periods aren't just about how long a period lasts. They also about how often you have to change protection, whichever you use, and clotting (I read something which said anything over the size of 50p counts as large - I might have laughed to myself.)

Definitely see another GP.

That clot is huge OP. I'm not sure if any of the other ladies clot like that... but I never have. Definitely ring your GP.

Yes, definitely persist with GP. Also when I was in the same boat I became very anaemic. I could not even walk up the stairs so you may need your iron levels checking.

Definitely persist with GP. Also when I was in the same boat I became severely anaemic ( could barely climb stairs), so worth getting your iron levels checked.

That is excessive. I was bleeding like that every 20 minutes.

I'd then have 12-26 hours of nothing and blood like this again over a few hours.

I'm now on northisterone daily and having a hysteroscopy in a few weeks and likely will go on list for a hysterectomy.

Look up nice guidelines. It also says about flooding a pad every hour for hours on end.

That about 3 pads worth there in an hour.

I have similar and agree with going back to gp (though i havent). I find heavy duty reusable sanitary towel far more absorbant. With disposable or tampons i leak within an hour. Not a solution but may helo in meantime.

Mine are like that, if not worse. It's horrible.
I've just started to take take transamic acid and it really does help (as long as I start taking them as soon as I come on) give them a go

@Iloveabourbon2

That clot is huge OP. I'm not sure if any of the other ladies clot like that... but I never have. Definitely ring your GP.

I clotted like that. .like big chunks of liver!

Also if you can get some period pants. .They can help

I bled like this prior to having my children, it's really odd because my periods now are much lighter than they were. Definitely go back to the GP and show the pic. You will probably need iron tablets

I have flooded like this on more than one occasion and in my case the cause was a progesterone and estrogen imbalance. I found tranexamic tablets to be ineffective and I went onto have ablation surgery.

I would concur with the comments made re your own Gp being uninformed or otherwise useless.

Go back to another GP within your practice and insist on a gynae referral. Do not settle for anything less.

If you can afford it, book a private gynae appointment.

I had horrendous periods thanks to scar tissue from 2 c sections, flooding heavily for 4 days a month. A Mirena coil changed my life.

I've had a flood like that, also at work. It was hideous snd you have all my sympathy.

Mine is caused by fibroids. You need an ultrasound. You also probably need iron.

Have you tried the orange Lillets Ultra tampons? With the six "droplets" on the box? They're AMAZING. Nothing else could contain my periods at their worst. Honestly, forget super-plus, go for the Ultra.

That's not normal? Blimy, I might have to take myself off to the GP!

Thanks for the post!

Agree with PP a mooncup is good for working out ml of blood. Mine are very heavy (and as with you, short but very intense), and I’ve been taking tranexamic acid for years. It’s like turning off the tap but I have to be pre-emptive. If I am flooding then taking the pills takes a while to kick in (a few hours maybe). It’s now at the point where I try to be at home for days 1 and 2 because even with meds I fill the mooncup in an hour or two.

And the joys of perimenopause mean my cycle is currently 16 days.

Get to the GP, get meds, get a mooncup! And good luck

When I was bleeding like this and literally feeling the clots flood out I was prescribed tranexanic acid immediately.

Back to the GP or pharmacy/walk in centre I think.

Wow, I was really unsure about posting this because of the photo but thank you so much everyone. It’s just nice to not feel like I’m being stupid or over reacting! They control my life. Ruin my bed sheets and underwear, it’s a nightmare! I’m just glad it only lasts 3/4 days. Sorry to hear that most of you are struggling with them too! 💕

You are not over reacting - if you have to change protection so often it stops you going about your normal business then I think - go to the GP again . The time - i.e. how any days in a row is separate from the days when it does happen it just doesn't make for a normal life . I would go back and tell GP it is debilitating when it happens. So I had tranexemic acid ( taken in tablet form ) but mine was a combination of fibroids and perimenopause - So NB I am not a doctor but if you find a GP who takes you seriously you may be able to find out what the problem is. Don't just put up with it as it is , as I say debilitating at times is something which needs help.

@doodiedee

I have adenomyosis - and my periods are like this too. I have had surgery twice and transexamic acid. Waiting for hysterectomy now, but it’s my last resort. Please go back to the doctors.